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Thirty-nine arrested at Occupy Cal Day of Action, one arrested next morning

Since the beginning of the Occupy Cal Day of Action Wednesday, police have arrested 40 protesters — the most recent of whom was arrested Thursday morning after trying to hold onto the group’s last tent which was confiscated by police.

According to UCPD Lt. Alex Yao, a male not affiliated with the university was arrested at around 10:30 a.m. Thursday on suspicion of disrupting and delaying a peace officer and was issued an exclusion order that requires him to stay away from the campus for seven days.

Yao confirmed that officers from both the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office and UCPD used batons on protesters Wednesday. He said he was aware of “minor injuries” on the part of both police and demonstrators but could not confirm rumors of someone going to the Tang Center for injuries related to the protest.

In response to protester claims of police using excessive force, Yao said force was “the very last” option that officers wanted to use.

“UCPD does support people exercising their right to free speech and to demonstrate, but we want to make sure people are aware of what’s in policy or what’s in the law,” Yao said.

Yao would not disclose police tactics for future demonstrations, but said there would be police presence at demonstrations on Sproul Plaza — like the planned 6 p.m. general assembly. He added that being present at the general assembly is no different than having police presence at any other demonstration.

He would not say how many officers from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office or the Oakland Police Department were present at the demonstration last night.

A Tale of Two Colleges…Unrest at UC Berkeley & Penn State & Misplaced Priorities
The beatings shown in the videos seem pretty excessive to me, especially when contrasted with the total lack of a police response to the riot at Penn…

Guest

Let’s not forget, nimrods, that UC campuses are not public property. That was clearly established and upheld by the courts in our society over fifty years ago.

The “freedom” is to peacefully assemble. That doesn’t mean you don’t have to have permission (also upheld by the courts in our society). Remember, your rights end at the point they conflict with others’ rights.

And as with the occupiers in Oakland, the Berkeley occupiers are a disgrace to the movement and the issue.

Five Oh Needs 5150ed

Yao: Everyone has already seen the video, so nice try, but you’d be better off owning up to the fact that y’all are petty thugs.
UCPD needs permanently disbanded – by CA constitutional amendment.Why? Local law enforcement needs to be under local control. UC is accountable to no one, but look what just happened with BPD. Berkeley told UC to say bye-bye to mutual assistance between UCPD and BPD.So sorry for you psychos.

Amanda

I am now in graduate school on the East Coast, but participated in the protests of 2009-2010 against budget increases. The mere act of what you are all doing, which is lacking among other campuses in the U.S., is symbolic and influential at the global scale. (I recently returned from Sao Paulo, where the student protests there have been indirectly instigated in reference to Cal.) Keep up the work, your cause is just.

En solidaridad – Nostalgic Alumnae

Guest

Hey, what were the results of your 2009-2010 protests? What did you accomplish? Did you get tuition rollbacks?

Oh, that’s right. You accomplished nothing.

Steeplejr

San Diego is a long way from this small town. Nothing interesting worth reading about happening down your way there?

Webelotom

Tony graduated from Cal many years ago (he’s 40 years old) and likes bragging about his sexual prowess on the sex columnist page. He’s a pretty cool guy.

UC Police have effectively prevented freedom of assembly, following orders from Birgeneau. It is time to overwhelm them with the force of numbers, rather than with the violence that they themselves are implementing. Take the fight directly to the administration.

Oh, bullshit. There’s a difference between a peaceful demonstration and occupying/squatting on campus property.

Cal Student

You obviously weren’t there. Yes, there are a few who wish to occupy the campus plaza as a TACTIC of a peaceful demonstration. I can’t speak for any of the other occupy protests, but at Cal there was no violence — on the part of any of the students. It was a completely peaceful protest with the intention, not of squatting (as if we are a bunch of freeloaders who find sleeping outside on the ground as something desirable), but to let it be known that we are sick of outrageous fee hikes and overall exploitation from the top 1% who have set up the system in a way designed for us to fail.

Squatting/occupying was not the goal, but rather a specific tactic that is used as means to an end. And it is not just occupying/squatting that is being done. It’s staying there to hold your ground in front of influential institutions in order to freely, and peacefully, speak and protest the enormous amount of injustice being done in the country/world.

How brainwashed is everyone who doesn’t even see that at least the protestors are doing SOMETHING, even if its not the most effective thing to do, its better than being complacent and doing nothing at all.

Ass

Occupying/squatting is the only reason students got beaten, so what are you crying about?

The protesters are doing something, sure. But it will result in NOTHING, just like all the other tuition protests.

Guest

No one should get beaten just for occupying.

Anonymous

Protesters should get beaten for obstructing first responders (cops). Cops don’t owe you any justification for where they want to go, you should just say “yes sir” and get out of the way.

Anonymous

If you were gathered for a peaceful demonstration then use the TACTICS of a demonstration and yell, scream, blog, and wave signs all you want. However, sleeping and camping are not recognized TACTICS and thus are not protected forms of free speech. What if someone decided to drive through Sather Gate with an OWS sign? Nonviolent, but clearly in violation of campus traffic laws. What if a protester starts selling medical marijuana to students without a prescription? Nonviolent, but illegal. When you lock arms to prevent the cops from going ANYWHERE they want to go in public, you are breaking the law and deserve to be whacked by a baton.

Failium

Tony believes a beating is warranted for minor violations, yet is perfectly happy to look the other when regarding all violations of the law committed by UC officials.

Not to mention the fact that there are rules for the police to follow when it comes to justifiable use of force. These rules are of no consequence in Tony’s fantasy land.

Tony = Hypocrite = TROLL = FAIL

Guest

No violation of law in the police using batons to remove unlawful protesters guarding an unlawful encampment.

Can you point to anywhere I have made such a statement, Little Stalker Boy who keeps changing his handles? Didn’t think so…

Occupycalsupport

“Yao would not disclose police tactics for future demonstrations, but
said there would be police presence at demonstrations on Sproul Plaza —
like the planned 6 p.m. general assembly. He added that being present at
the general assembly is no different than having police presence at any
other demonstration.”

Bullshit. The General Assembly isn’t a demonstration. It’s a public meeting held outdoors. Is there massive police presence when the Cal band plays during pep rallies on Sproul?

Is the Cal Band participating in a movement whose supporters have a clear track records of engaging in vandalism and violence? Somehow I don’t think so…

Occupycalsupport

Yao said there were police *because it was a demonstration.* I am saying that, by their definition, a demonstration is any large gathering of people in a public space. If that it the case, this was no more a demonstration than a pep rally.
Cathy3 completely misses the point — obviously this was not a pep band rally. I actually concur with Cathy3 — let’s have some honesty here. And Yao was not being honest by saying that police were there because it was a “demonstration.”